The Investiture
by Lightsaberss
Summary: It's the morning of their promotion, and Riza wants to make sure Roy's dressed correctly.
1. The Investiture

Riza had worn her full dress uniform more times in the month since the Promised Day, than she had in her entire military career preceding it, which explained why she could now put the slightly more complicated uniform on without a problem, while waiting for her morning coffee to kick in.

If only Colonel Mustang could manage the same thing, she wouldn't have to turn up at his house an hour before either of them were due in the office. Each time they'd had to wear this uniform, instead of their usual one, he'd done it wrong. They were just small things, but she swore that he was doing it on purpose.

This morning, however, she wasn't going to give him the chance to be anything other than perfectly put together. It was an important day, and she didn't want to have to waste energy on fixing his ridiculous uniform mistake.

It didn't take him long to answer the door. When he did, sis dark hair was already slicked back, but he was only half dressed, wearing the crisp white shirt, and sharply pressed trousers. Riza noticed that he smelled faintly of laundry detergent and soap. She also forgot how to speak for a split second.

"Lieutenant, isn't it a bit early?" He asked, but stepped aside to let her in.

"Um." She paused briefly as she entered his house, and closed the door behind her. "I thought you might need help getting ready, considering how many times I've had to correct your uniform recently."

The colonel didn't argue, just smirked and cocked his head, "Nice legs, lieutenant."

"One day you're going to say that in front of the wrong person and end up in front of a tribunal for sexual harassment, you know?" She pointed out wryly. "And when they ask me how many times you make inappropriate comments about me, I'll have to tell them 'every single time he's ever seen me in a skirt, sir'. It won't be pretty."

"I would never say anything like that in front of the wrong people." He looked like he was about to pout at the suggestion, and Riza had to stop herself from laughing. "There's no one here, is there?"

"No. It's just us." Just the two of them, inches apart in his hallway, and Riza was _very_ aware of it. "Why don't you finish getting dressed _correctly_ while I make some coffee?"

She knew her way around his house like it was her own, even with most of his belongings still in boxes from the move. It had only been a month, but she'd spent many late nights here going over their plans for the future. For Ishval. For the Eastern Command that he was about to be placed in charge of. They'd agreed that nothing they could do would ever erase the blood on their hands, but that doing something for the Ishvalan people, and for everyone in the East who had suffered in that war, was better than doing nothing.

She was halfway through her coffee by the time he came into the living room, and she looked him over with a critical eye.

"So, how do I look?"

Honestly, he looked good. The uniform fit him well, and for once nothing was out of place, but that didn't stop her from going over to him and brushing imaginary lint from his jacket. It was an excuse to touch him, and she was close enough to feel the heat pouring off of him. Close enough to kiss him, if she wanted to.

"I'm impressed," She said, her voice was softer than she'd intended, and she cleared her throat. "It turns out you can dress yourself without me."

He chuckled, and reached into his pocket, "I got you something." And before she could protest, he placed the small jewelry box in her hand. "Congratulations on your promotion."

"It's not official yet." Riza protested weakly. Inside the box were a pair of gold pearl stud earrings. They were beautiful. "I - sir - I can't accept this. It's too much."

"No, Lieutenant. It's nowhere near what you deserve." He said, seriously. "But it's a start."

Riza looked him in the eye, eyes that a month ago hadn't been able to see, and were now watching her with an intensity that made her heart skip. She could tell he was thinking about _that day_ , his eyes kept flicking down to her neck, and the willingness to argue left her completely.

"It that case, thank you. They're beautiful." She put them in her jacket pocket before she kissed his cheek. Well. That had been the intention, but the Colonel turned his head and met her lips with his. The kiss was over before it began, but it had sent electricity down to the tips of her toes.

The Colonel looked like he was going to apologise, but she didn't give him the chance to utter a single word. She pressed her lips to his, and if there was any intent to be gentle, or timid, they fled from the second their lips touched. The kiss was ferocious, pent up lust and longing, desires that they'd ignored, and the fear of losing each other that had dogged their movements since the Promised Day, it all came pouring out in that one kiss. It was teeth and tongue, and fire shooting through her veins. Their hands clutched at their uniforms, unsure if they should be pushing their clothes off their bodies, or pulling each other closer.

By the time their lips parted, her knees were weak and she was lightheaded. It had been years since a kiss had done that. "Oh…" She breathed.

"Yeah." He brushed his nose against her cheek, and she laughed.

Actually, it more like an overwhelmed giggle, and she pressed her face against his shoulder to try to calm down. "Riza…?"

It had been so long since he'd used her name, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Yes, sir?"

"I hope you know that I'm going to kiss you again."

"I can't wait." She said truthfully. "But, sir, we need to get to work. Today's important, the Fuhrer will be arriving in a couple of hours and the ceremony is this afternoon."

He reluctantly let her slip out of his arms. "Tonight?"

"We have celebration drinks. Havoc's going to be there, we can't miss it," Riza pointed out. "There's after, or there's tomorrow. I'm not going anywhere."


	2. The Crumbling of Order

"Riza, is this a skirt, or a belt?!" Rebecca sounded incredulous, and held up the offending item of clothing up for inspection.

Yes, Riza had to admit it was a _little_ on the short side, but it wasn't exactly the shortest skirt available. It had been an impulse purchase once plans for this evening had been finalised, and she still wasn't sure if she was going to wear it, or just stick it in the back of her closet with the other clothes she never wore.

"Pretty sure it's too big for a belt." She said. "Becca, why are you going through my closet?"

"I'm picking out your outfit."

Riza was beginning to regret her agreement for them to get ready together. The celebration drinks had been planned since the promotions were announced, and Rebecca had grabbed her soon afterwards and insisted that they do the girly thing and get ready together before going out. She'd insisted loudly, and at length, until Riza had given in. That's why they were sitting in Riza's bedroom, sipping glasses wine and going through her closet.

"I can dress myself, you know." She pointed out. "Been doing it for a while now."

"Yeah, but you always go with the safe option." Rebecca held up a red blouse and inspected it. Something about it obviously pleased her, and she put it on the bed next to the skirt.

"I'm going out with people from work, not to pick up some poor hapless guy in a bar."

"I bet you could pick up the entire bar in this skirt." Rebecca said.

"I don't want to 'pick up' the entire bar." Riza rolled her eyes. "I just want to have-"

"Riza, are you about to admit that you want to have a night of _fun_? I need to call Havoc to tell him." Rebecca teased.

"That's just because you want to talk to Havoc," Riza pointed out, cooly. "And no, not fun. It's just probably going to be the last night off any of us have in a while, and it'd be nice to spend it with someone other than Hayate."

"I don't want to talk to him!" Rebecca insisted, much to Riza's amusement as she then sniggered. "And stop that!"

"Stop what? I think it's nice that you like him," Riza said. "He can be an idiot sometimes, but he's one of the good ones, Becca. And he likes you. He's always disappointed when one of us take him to physio instead of you."

Rebecca eyed her best friend skeptically, but Riza just sipped her glass of wine. Thankfully, they'd moved away from the subject of her clothes and onto the much safer subject of Rebecca's love life. "I know he's not the nice, rich, man from central that you were hoping for, but one out of three isn't terrible." Riza said.

"Is he really disappointed when it's not me?" Rebecca asked. Her voice was quieter, smaller, than Riza thought it would be.

"Yes, he is." She reassured her. "I don't think he shows it around the other guys, but he's always talking about you, and when you're not there he pouts a little. Honestly, if he wasn't ga ga over you, I'd have a lot less patience for it."

Riza didn't think she'd ever seen Rebecca go so red in her life, or be so lost for words. She usually had a retort on the tip of her tongue, even if most of them were poorly thought out and sometimes insulting. To see her lost for words in the face of Havoc being sickeningly adorable about her managed to be both incredibly strange, and adorable. Honestly, she was happy for them both, they deserved some happiness after everything that had happened.

"Oh." Rebecca said, while looking stunned.

"You didn't know?" Riza asked.

"No. We've been keeping things casual." Rebecca explained. "We don't really talk much."

"I do not need to know that." Riza pulled a face. Happy for them was one thing, but she really didn't need - or want - the sordid details. Some things should just remain private, especially when they involved her best friend and one of her co-workers.

"What? It's not like I _don't_ want to talk to him, we just tend to get distracted. You know what it's like." Rebecca paused, and cocked her head as if she was examining Riza. "Or maybe you don't."

"Oh no, I know what that's like." Riza said without thinking. She'd spent the whole day trying not to think of the toe curling, knee buckling, spine tingling kiss from that morning. It had been particularly difficult to ignore it as the Colonel (or General, as he was now) had spent most of the day staring at her as if he wanted nothing more than to devour her.

It's why she hadn't offered any resistance when he'd pulled her into an empty stairwell, pushed her against the wall, and thoroughly kissed her. Oh yes, Riza knew exactly what it was like to be distracted away from something as important as _talking_.

"Ri- are you blushing?" Rebecca asked, almost too gleefully. "Okay, there's a story here. What happened?"

Riza flopped onto her back, and stared at the ceiling. There was no way that she could look Rebecca in the face if this was going to be the line of questioning. "Nothing I want to talk about."

"Did you and Mustang finally bang or something?"

"Oh my god, Rebecca!" She reached behind her, grabbed her pillow and threw it at Rebecca, and was annoyed when Rebecca caught it. It was supposed to hit her in the head.

"Ohmygod, you did!" Rebecca squealed. Riza wasn't sure if it was in excitement or surprise, and she wasn't about to ask.

"No, Becca, we did not 'bang'." Riza covered her face with her hands. She hadn't drunk enough wine to deal with this conversation.

"But _something_ happened, right? You wouldn't be acting like this if it didn't." She accused. "C'mon, I tell you all about my love life. And I'm not going to rat you out or anything if something did happen."

"I know you wouldn't," Riza assured her. Rebecca was a lot of things, loud, and _fun_ in a way that Riza had struggled with even before Ishval, and had found utterly impossible afterwards. She was also fiercely loyal, and protective in a way that Riza thought a sister would've been if she'd had any. There was no way Rebecca would tell anyone anything, if Riza asked her not to.

"Okay, sooo?" Rebecca prompted.

"So we kissed. That's all." As if it was that simple. Just a kiss with her superior officer. Just a kiss that could jeopardize everything they were working towards. Just a kiss when they both wanted so much _more_.

"That's it?" Rebecca sounded almost disappointed, but when Riza sat up and looked at her, she looked concerned.

"What?" Riza asked. "Yes, that's it."

"You've been pining over this man for years, and 'that's all'." Rebecca pointed out.

"I have not been pining." Riza interjected.

"Yes, you have. Don't argue with me." Rebecca said. "So, you kissed and nothing else?"

"This happened today, I wasn't about to fuck him in a supply cupboard." Riza said dryly.

"Wait. This happened _today_ , and tonight we're all going out drinking?" Rebecca asked.

"Yes." Riza confirmed.

"Okay, trust me, you're wearing the skirt-that-isn't-a-belt." Rebecca grinned wickedly. "Trust me."

Riza weighed up her options quickly, she could argue it out with Rebecca and turn up to the bar in something a little more respectable, or she could give in and avoid the argument, and maybe torture the General a little. Afterall, he had been messing up his uniform on purpose for weeks now, and a little payback would be good for him. It could be good for both of them.

"Okay, fine." Riza said. "You win. Now get out so I can change."


	3. Days of Wine and Impropriety

Riza tugged on her skirt self consciously. It wasn't as short as Rebecca had tried to imply (it did cover everything, and wasn't actually anywhere close to being a belt), but it was shorter than she remembered it being when she'd tried it on in the store, and it was definitely shorter than anything else she owned.

"Stop that." Rebecca said.

"Hmm?"

"You look great. Stop it."

"How did you talk me into wearing this again?" Riza asked, but stilled her hands and folded her arms in front of her chest. There was a chill in the air outside the bar, and her impractical jacket offered little protection against the elements. If the boys weren't here in five minutes, she was just going to go inside and get warm.

"There was wine," Rebecca reminded her, and checked her watch. "And you want to torture General Matchstick."

"Don't call him that." Riza admonished her automatically, but didn't argue with her reasons. There had been wine, but not enough to convince her to wear something this short. Like so many other things in her life, this bad decision was completely wrapped up in Roy Mustang. Riza inwardly cringed at how pathetic and ridiculous it was, but managed to keep her emotions to herself. She wasn't _that_ drunk yet.

"Fine, you wanted to torture General _Mustang_ ," Rebecca said, petulantly. "Better?"

"Much." Riza grinned.

"Where are those boys anyway?" Rebecca asked, having checked her watch for the second time in what had to be less than a minute.

"Eager to see Havoc?" Riza teased.

"Shut up," Rebecca said, and pulled a face. "But yes. UGH, how did I manage to fall for such an idiot?"

Riza shrugged; "He's tall?"

"He is," Rebecca agreed. "And he has _amazing_ arms. Just. Wow."

Riza was, thankfully, saved from the possibility that Rebecca might start singing the praises of any other part of Havoc (there were some things she was happier not knowing about her brother-in-arms) by a couple of cabs pulling up to the curb, and the boys spilled out of them. Breda and Fuery carried on their conversation about what sounded like the current advances in technology, Havoc went straight to Rebecca's side and started to tell her how beautiful she looked, and the General…

The General was staring at her. Trailing up her legs, and it was like Riza could see all the deliciously dirty things he wanted to do to her dancing like fire in his dark eyes. Like so much of their silent communication, she hoped that no one else could read him the way she could. She felt herself growing warm under his gaze, and she was glad that it was dark out and that hopefully no one could see her blushing.

"Hey, General, her face is up here." The intoxicating spell of the two of them standing on the pavement, staring at each other, was broken by Rebecca, who was now gesturing wildly at Riza's face.

"Becca…" Riza said, before burying her face in her hands.

"I am aware of that, Lieutenant Catalina." The General said.

"Are you? Because a second ago it looked like you thought it was a little lower down."

Riza pointedly ignored the both of them as they started bickering, and headed into the bar. It was still relatively quiet for a Friday night, but the night was still young and Riza knew it wouldn't be long before they'd have to wait for what felt like an age before they could get to the bar. It had been one of their old haunts before they'd left for Central, and after moving back East they'd fallen back into old habits. Riza headed to the bar, while Breda and Fuery went to claim their usual booth at the back.

"That skirt is probably the best thing you've ever worn." The General said, as he leaned against the bar next to her. She quickly looked around, trying to make sure that there was no one around that could possibly be listening in, but they were alone, as Havoc and Rebecca had headed to join the others at the table.

"You've said similar things about a number of my outfits over the years, sir." Riza said. There had been a number of undercover outfits she'd had to endure over the years, a few of which she suspected he'd enjoyed far more than she had.

"True, but this…" He indicated her entire outfit with a wave of his hand. "I've never been happier to have my eyesight back."

Riza knew she was blushing again, she could feel her skin getting warmer, and she couldn't help but smile. "You say that a lot sir." She pointed out.

"Only to you." His fingers lightly caressed the back of her hand. It was a small gesture, but they couldn't afford anything more than that. She couldn't kiss him like she wanted to, or lean against him, or run her fingers through his hair to mess it up. At least not here in front of everyone.

Riza waited until the barman went to make her drink, and then she leaned in a little closer than was strictly necessary, almost pushing the boundary of appropriate; "Well, if you think you're happy now, just wait until you see what I'm wearing under it."

His eyes went wide, and she tried to look as innocent as possible while she paid for her drink and headed over to the table.

"Hey Riza, he's staring again." Rebecca commented.

"Oh, I know." Riza said, and took a seat next to her best friend.

"Do I even want to know what you two were talking about over there?" Rebecca asked.

"Nothing important," Riza lied. "You just know what he's like with girls in short skirts."

"Remind me to never get on your bad side." Havoc interjected. "I don't think I want you - either of you, baby - to torture me with items of clothing."

"Oh, I've got much better ways to torture you." Rebecca said, a little too sweetly, and Havoc went pale at the mere prospect.

The night continued, they laughed together, drank together, and argued about the finer points of chess (well, that was mostly Breda and the General). Hours passed, and they slowly trickled out of the now busy bar and into the night. Rebecca and Havoc snuck away first, after spending a great deal of time making eyes at one another and occasionally kissing when they thought no one was paying attention. Fuery was next, and then Breda, until both the General and Riza were left alone.

"Will you be alright getting back home?" He asked, his hand was on her knee, mindlessly tracing patterns that sent shivers across her skin.

"I'll be fine," She said. He looked crestfallen, and moved his hand away. "But I wouldn't mind the company."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think you've been tortured long enough." Riza said. "Not to mention, I want to see what else those hands can do."

The General finished his drink in one gulp, almost making Riza laugh at his eagerness. She just left hers half finished on the table.


End file.
